Birth of Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes is born at Westport near Malmesbury in Wiltshire.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1588 in England
Explore 77 historical events and records for England in 1588.
Historical records for England in 1588
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 77 unique records.
77Unique records
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15Named events on this page
6Named people on this page
10Places on this page
April
Siege of Cadiz
Says he has "singed the King's beard". Destroys 36 Spanish ships & intercepts barrel staves intended for the armada. Delays the Armada by 1 year
May
Siege of Lagos
1,000 men disembarked at Lagos in the Algarve and stormed the fortresses of Sagres, Baleeira, Beliche and Cape St. Vincent
Peace Negotiations
It takes until May 30 for all of the Armada to leave port and, on the same day, Elizabeth's ambassador in The Netherlands, Dr Valentine Dale, meets Parmas representatives to begin peace negotiations
July
Invasion of England
Negotiations were abandoned, and the English fleet stood prepared, if ill-supplied, at Plymouth, awaiting news of Spanish movements
Invasion of England
Negotiations were abandoned, and the English fleet stood prepared, if ill-supplied, at Plymouth, awaiting news of Spanish movements
Diplomatic Negotiations
Negotiations are abandoned
Armada Sighted
Howard receives reports that the Spanish Armada has been sighted off Cornwall and prepares the English fleet to contest its passage up the Channel.
Battle of Calais
An English attack is launched from the Scilly Isles by Lord Howard
Delayed by bad weather, the Armada is not sighted in England until
Delayed by bad weather, the Armada is not sighted in England until July 19, when it appears off The Lizard in Cornwall, the news is conveyed to London by a sequence of beacons that had been constructed the length of the south coast of England
Invasion of England
Delayed by bad weather, the Armada is not sighted in England until July 19, when it appears off The Lizard in Cornwall, the news is conveyed to London by a sequence of beacons that had been constructed the length of the south coast of England
Invasion of England
The Armada was delayed by bad weather, forcing the four galleys and one of the galleons to leave the fleet, and was not sighted in England until 19 July, when it appeared off The Lizard in Cornwall.
Invasion of England
The Spanish convened a council of war, where it was proposed to ride into the harbour on the tide and incapacitate the defending ships at anchor and from there to attack England; but Medina Sidonia declined to act because this had been explicitly forbidden by Philip, and decided to sail
Invasion of England
The news was conveyed to London by a system of beacons that had been constructed all the way along the south coast. On that evening, the English fleet was trapped in Plymouth Harbour by the incoming tide.
Invasion of England
on to the east and towards the Isle of Wight
Spanish Armada, 1st
The Armada was delayed by bad weather, forcing the four galleys and one of the galleons to leave the fleet, and was not sighted in England until 19 July, when it appeared off The Lizard in Cornwall.
Spanish Armada, 1st
The Spanish convened a council of war, where it was proposed to ride into the harbour on the tide and incapacitate the defending ships at anchor and from there to attack England; but Medina Sidonia declined to act because this had been explicitly forbidden by Philip, and decided to sail
Spanish Armada, 1st
The news was conveyed to London by a system of beacons that had been constructed all the way along the south coast. On that evening, the English fleet was trapped in Plymouth Harbour by the incoming tide.
Spanish Armada, 1st
on to the east and towards the Isle of Wight
Spanish Armada, 1st
As the tide turned, 55 English ships set out to confront them from Plymouth under the command of Lord Howard of Effingham, with Sir Francis Drake as Vice Admiral. Howard ceded some control to Drake, given his experience in battle. The rear admiral was Sir John Hawkins
Spanish Armada, 1st
As the tide turned, 55 English ships set out to confront them from Plymouth under the command of Lord Howard of Effingham, with Sir Francis Drake as Vice Admiral. Howard ceded some control to Drake, given his experience in battle. The rear admiral was Sir John Hawkins
Spanish Armada, 1st
As the tide turned, 55 English ships set out to confront them from Plymouth under the command of Lord Howard of Effingham, with Sir Francis Drake as Vice Admiral. Howard ceded some control to Drake, given his experience in battle. The rear admiral was Sir John Hawkins
Battle off Plymouth
Drake and other English commanders attack the Armada off Plymouth, using longer-range gunnery while avoiding the close grappling combat favoured by Spain.
Calais Fireships Disrupt Armada off Flanders
Drake helps drive fireships toward the anchored Armada, forcing Spanish ships to scatter before the Gravelines fighting.
English Fleet Presses Armada toward Flemish Coast
Howard keeps the English fleet close to the Armada as it moves toward the Flemish coast.
Spanish Armada, 1st
The two fleets sight each other off Dodman Point
Spanish Armada, 1st
Drake is waiting in Plymouth with 14 galleons & 50 other vessels
August
Battle of Gravelines
The Spanish Armada is defeated by an English naval force under command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake off the coast of Gravelines, now in France
Battle of Gravelines
The Spanish Armada is defeated by an English naval force under command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake off the coast of Gravelines, now in France
Battle of Gravelines
16 Spanish ships are captured.
Battle of Gravelines
On the day after Gravelines, the wind had backed, southerly, enabling Medina Sidonia to move the Armada northward (away from the French coast), the English pursue the Spanish fleet, to prevent it returning to escort Parma.
Battle of Gravelines
Ordered by Lord Howard to patrol Dunkirk & Nieuport.
Battle of Gravelines
Prevents Parma making a dash for the English coast.
Battle of Gravelines
The Spanish fleet manages to escape to the North Sea due to a sudden squall.
Battle of Flanders Coast
The English and Spanish fleets again engage off the coast of Flanders, the English again are more successful
Battle of Flanders Coast
The English and Spanish fleets again engage off the coast of Flanders, the English again are more successful
Battle of Gravelines
On the day after Gravelines, the wind had backed, southerly, enabling Medina Sidonia to move the Armada northward (away from the French coast), the English pursue the Spanish fleet, to prevent it returning to escort Parma
Battle of Calais
Sends 8 tarred fireships to attack the Armada where it waits to rendezvous with Parma
Invasion of England
Queen Elizabeth visits Tilbury to encourage her forces and gives to them what is probably her most famous speech
Spanish Armada, 1st
Queen Elizabeth visits Tilbury to encourage her forces and gives to them what is probably her most famous speech. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.